Traditional 401(k) locks until 59½. Roth IRA contributions accessible. HSA medical-tax-free at any age. The total looks the same but the access doesn't.
FIRE age 51
Decade-plus horizon. If retire-age is well before 59½, weight new contributions toward taxable and Roth over Traditional 401(k) beyond match. Watch the Mega Backdoor Roth if your plan supports it.
Traditional 401(k) access at 59½ (or 55 via Rule of 55 for current employer's plan). Roth contributions accessible at any age tax-free; earnings restricted until 59½ + 5-year rule. Bridge approximated as taxable + Roth balance at retire age vs spend × years to 59½.
Worth runs each US bucket separately so the gap between FIRE date and traditional retirement age is visible. Join the waitlist.
Yes, contributions only (not earnings) come out tax-free and penalty-free at any age. The earnings portion has restrictions (59½ + 5-year rule). This makes Roth a useful FIRE bridge vehicle: preserve principal flexibility while earnings compound tax-free.
If you leave your employer in or after the year you turn 55, you can take penalty-free withdrawals from that employer's 401(k). Roll the 401(k) into an IRA first and you lose this. Plan the sequence carefully if early retirement is on the table.
Substantially Equal Periodic Payments let you tap a Traditional IRA before 59½ without penalty. The catch: you must continue for 5 years or until 59½, whichever is longer. Inflexible but useful as a last-resort bridge.